Product Description

If your toddler can walk, a STRIDER will get your toddler cruising over dirt, grass, and pavement with ease. Designed to be steady, stable, and safe, the STRIDER ST-4 bike is perfect for children from 18 months to 5 years old.

Weighing only 6.7 pounds, the STRIDERTM No-Pedal Balance Bike is designed to be super light for ease of handling by young riders. The bike includes patented frame-integrated footrests for advanced rider development, and the handlebar and saddle height are adjustable for growing children.

Healthy kids develop essential motor skills early in life. Pediatricians agree that learning balance, coordination with exercise jump-starts a child's growth and development.

Updates to the ST-4 ModelSealed Cartridge Bearings are replacing the former cup and cone bearings previously found on the ST-2 and ST-3 models. The new sealed cartridge bearings roll smoothly and are maintenance- free for years of STRIDER riding.

A New Tire Tread Pattern makes its debut this year. The tread is placed closer together for low rolling resistance on hard surfaces, while still providing multiple knobs for all terrain grip improving STRIDER bike handling and stability.

A new Powder Coat Finish replaces last year's baked enamel paint. The new coating is longer lasting and provides a more durable finish.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Bought this for my daughter who is still a bit young for it. She has been on it a few times for as long as her attention span allows (which isn't very long). Bit pricey but will get a lot of use out of it and resale prices on ebay are good.

Seems to be well made with simple and easy instructions.Little one is using it exactly as the promotional video said he would.Delivery was excellent as it arrived within a couple of days.Impressed so far.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)

Amazon.com:
773 reviews

171 of 183 people found the following review helpful

So far...so...16 May 2012

By
Test Subject 42
- Published on Amazon.com

Colour Name: RedSize Name: 12 Inch
Verified Purchase

After extensive research on the right balance bike for my 18 month old, I went with a red ST-3 Strider. While I didnt want to pay this kind of money, the expectation is she uses it for 3 years or so and when she is done with it she'll hop on a big-kid bike and ride away. My son, who is older can ride a bike fine now but he is still hesitent and that's because he started on training wheels and the transition is scarier.

I first Spotted these balance bikes at a car show and was amazed at the kids ability to ride around on it so I started my research and was hooked on the idea.

Primary reasons for choosing a Strider over the other manufacturers was that it's seat can go as low as 11", it has a steel frame, and the new ST-3 has the small grips. Given that this was being given to an 18 month old, the smaller the better. Reviews on various sites also helped seal the deal over the wooden bikes and some of thec omposites. I would've considered a kinderbike but besides their own website, they seem hard to find. The wooden ones Ive seen all look pretty beat up and more like a 'craft' instead of an actual bike. Their website marketing showing kids riding their striders like BMX bikes brought me in too, although it'll be a while before my little one does that!

The bike itself is really tiny. The best way to tell this online is to watch the assembly video on their own website (an excrutiatingly boring video however). Its really light weight also which is good for someone so small to pick up off the ground, which she can. Assembly was easy, although I has to use a mallet to attach the quick release on the handlebar stem because its a little tight. Took about 5 minutes with the help of my 6 year old. More time to take all the packaging off than putting it together. The stem is attached to the handlebars directly, there is no neck clamp as in a traditional bike. I was a little worried about this since I thought maybe I wanted some adjustment backwards to make it easier to reach but the bike is tiny and really doesnt need this. Overall construction is fine (paint, weld points, bolts, screws etc seem to be of decent materials) but they could've sprung for some painted on 'Strider' emblems instead of the cheap stickers which I can see peeling off quickly. It would've added to the belief that $99 was worth spending on something so diminutive and simple. My sons Schwinn, complete with metal pedals, front, rear and pedal brakes cost about this and it's got 18 or 20" wheels on it, so a lot more material and engineering over this little bike. (That said his bike is all stickers too, but with orange flames and racing stripes on the seat!)

The seat itself is a hard plastic, not like a standard bike seat which is cushioned. We'll see how the comfort of that is over time. She'll need to learn some new words first before she can express that though.

My tiny 18 month old (girl) saw the bike and hopped right on and immediately started walking with it. She didn't want to get off. Its the reaction I was hoping for, so that's great. She is very small for her age but she can straddle the bike fine and the seat is as low as it can go. With shoes on she should be just right for it. She can reach the handlebars and the smaller grips of the ST-3 are definitely a good thing.

The tires are interesting. They are a semi-soft-hardish solid plastic mold, not the inflatable kind. We'll see how long they last, but I doubt my tiny one can do anything to really mess them up.

One thing I do wish Strider would do is let you customize the bike more on order. I would've ordered straight from their site (instead of amazon) had I been able to choose wheel colors, seats or handlebars to match the bike instead of the all black. They do let you configure it, but not actually buy it. The red on black is great though and I chose that over pink (for resale value, LOL) and in case she wanted to share with her boyfriends (LOL) who may not want to ride a pink bike.

We'll see how she does with it over the next few days as these are first impressions. I am looking forward to seeing her balance with it. She really loves bikes and trikes and now that she has one her size, she's really going to get going.

UPDATE (10/2012):So she didnt take to the bike as much as I thought she would gravitating more to her brothers old tricycle and scooter. She's maybe used it 10 times so far and only for short spurts of time before switching to somethign else. When she does get on the bike, and she is small for her <2 year old self, its really fun to watch. she sits on the seat and walks with the bike, holding the bars and not falling down. If she continues to use this, it wont be long before she lifts her feet and glides. She is getting a bit bigger and I may be adjusting the seat up from the absoute bottom.

The reality is that just watching her a little bit I can see how this method of learning is far better than the training wheel one is. Any kid can learn to peddle once they reach the peddles but the kids in the neighborhood who learned on training wheels are 6-7-8 years old before they arent scared of tipping over anymore.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful

Love this bike!2 Jun. 2014

By
sylvia
- Published on Amazon.com

Colour Name: Green
Verified Purchase

Ok first of all it wasn't clear in the description but this bike DOES come with the bigger seat as well as the little seat so that a child can ride this up to 5 years old.

The bike itself is very very light, my little munchkin can pick it up with ease. He was trying to get on the bike before I had it completely put together lol.

The frame is very sturdy, my only real complaint is that the seat clamp doesn't seem to get as tight as it needs to be because the seat has shifted very slightly but my son can be extremely rough on it so that may not happen to all of them.

The bikes came unassembled, but the tool required for assembly is provided.It took maybe 10 minutes to figure out and put together.

The boys were antsy, so we tried them out right away! They loved their new bikes, they mostly did the walk along, and a few "sits and feet pushes". Every day we go out they get better!

I really love the idea behind the balance bike. Once kids learn to balance they can ride a two-wheeler, no need for training wheels!!! Pedaling takes a minute or less to learn. Besides, training wheels don't help "train" anything, but oh maybe how to pedal, go fast and fall down.What is more important in riding a bike? Pedaling, or balance? Balance...first step!

I can already tell the difference with the Strider bikes.Before on their trikes, they never attempted to steer, or pedal, it was useless.Now, after a few days, they have already learned to steer, to turn, and avoid obstacles!

UPDATE: Still loving the bikes. We even took them camping!After 4 months, my oldest is now going down hills and balancing with his feet up!!!!My 2yr old is getting there too, and gaining confidence!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

Good quality for passing down to siblings12 Aug. 2014

By
Angie M.
- Published on Amazon.com

Colour Name: Green
Verified Purchase

We have four children, ages 6, 4, 2, and 6 months. Our oldest still does not know how to ride his bicycle without training wheels and we wanted to help him learn a little faster. I did some research and found some balance bikes that were made for toddlers, then a few that were made for older kids... and then there's this one. My two-year-old can hop on and try it out with the little seat, then we can quickly switch seats and the older two kids can try it out as well. It will also be used when our youngest is older. So for us, since all four children can use it and learn to balance, it has been a great purchase.

The bike is well-made and seems like it will last through all four children and we should still be able to sell it when they're done. The seats and handle bars are easily adjusted. The ride is smooth and there is a little space for the children to rest their feet when they get the hang of it.

My son is six years old, so he is older than the recommended 18 months- 5 year range listed on the product. He is average height and weight (44 inches tall, 42 pounds), and he can still ride on it just fine. He is quickly learning to balance as he rides down the slight slope of our driveway. It has given him a lot more confidence when riding and he even wants to take off his training wheels.

We purchased the green color and the bike looks great! I wish that it included brakes, but then that would probably greatly increase the price. Overall, if you are shopping for a balance bike for multiple children, this one is a great buy.

31 of 37 people found the following review helpful

Best bike on the market for young children!5 Oct. 2012

By
Jennifer Biery
- Published on Amazon.com

I happened to find one of these at a yard sale and snatched it up for my son when he was 4. He had already been struggling with a typical toddler bike with training wheels, and we decided we wanted to try something else, so we bought the Strider. He was a little awkward for the first few days, but within a week he was riding at quite a decent clip and even lifting his feet up for a few seconds here and there. By the end of the summer he could coast for long periods of time on the bike with his feet up on the footrest. We were absolutely AMAZED, and he was SO PROUD of himself. You should have seen the huge grin he'd have on his face as he'd yell, "Mommy, watch this!!" and put his feet up and coast down a long hill.

When we transitioned him to a bigger bike at the beginning of this summer, he completely skipped over the "training wheels" stage. He just got on the 16" bike, we gave him a couple of tips on how to get started, and off he went, riding like a pro. We then gave the Strider bike to his younger sister, who is 2 and extremely petite for her age. She immediately loved it. Not only did it make her feel like she was riding a "real bike" like her brother, but she could learn at her own speed.

She has literally had it for three months now, and she is riding like a complete pro. She's still 2, by the way...we now have a 2-year old cruising down long hills with her feet up and strangers looking at her like she's a complete genius. The bike holds up AMAZINGLY well, is incredibly light to carry (my 2-year old can pick it up and get on it all by herself...all she needs us for is to fasten her helmet!) and it has given her a tremendous sense of accomplishment and self-esteem. She and her brother chase each other around in the driveway now, and she, on her Strider, is able to go nearly as fast as her brother on his regular bike.

I've heard some people express concern that the bike has no brakes, but seriously...it doesn't need them. The child's feet are so easily moved from resting position to "running position," that my children could always stop in a millisecond if they needed to. I think it would actually be MORE complicated with brakes, because it would just add one more thing to think about. If the child needs to stop, he puts his feet down. Done. Bike stopped. And this is instinctual for the children, so you can be confident they will be able to successfully stop.

Seriously, this is a groundbreaking invention for children. I wish I had thought of it, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Don't go for the look-alike brands...get the real thing. It will last you through several kids and still look and perform great. In fact, I accidentally ran over the original I had purchased from the thrift shop with my minivan, and even though it still looked okay at first glance, the bike frame was bent and so my daughter couldn't balance. She was absolutely devastated. I told my husband that I didn't care how much the thing cost at regular retail...we were replacing it. My daughter was overjoyed when her new bike was delivered, and she uses it literally EVERY DAY.

I cannot speak highly enough about this product. It completely eliminates all those worrisome days of trying to teach your kid to balance without training wheels and fretting that they're going to get seriously injured. With the Strider, the child learns on his own, and you just get to sit back and watch the progress with pride.

This is an AMAZING PRODUCT. In my opinion, if you would like you child to be able to ride a bike sometime soon, get him or her one of these NOW. It will save you a lot of stress and headaches in the long run, and both you and you child will be beaming with pride.